Ways to Automate Account and Order Management

January 8, 2019by Robert Giovannini

Automating account and order management has now become critical for success. With the rapid expansion of eCommerce and the increasing popularity of online shopping, it has become even more imperative that businesses improve their operational efficiency. Many are accomplishing this by focusing on automating their account and order management processes. This makes the system more agile.
Agile automation ensures reduced order processing times, greater accuracy in terms of order delivery and fulfillment, and reduced costs. The ultimate goal of an automated order management system is to ensure the proper execution of each order, whether you need to process ten orders per week or thousands. You can automate account and order management by implementing the following strategies.

Using a Product Catalog

Image via Flickr by Tech in Asia
One of the most effective ways of streamlining an order management process is through the use of a product catalog. It is important to align the product catalog to the service catalog as well as syncing it with inventories. This will ensure efficient and effective order fulfillment. Centralizing this process makes order management and fulfillment run smooothly. There are several eCommerce application tools available, such as Magento, that allow online stores to set up a centralized database that contains all relevant product information. This information is easily accessible to merchants, so that they can be up-to-date on every product's status. This, in turn, will make the order fulfillment and management process smoother.

Integrating Account and Order Management with Other Key Processes

Another important way to automate account and order management is by integrating it with other key processes. For example, the product catalog needs to be connected to the service catalog, and both need to be connected to the inventory data. Similarly, customer and billing data need to be properly integrated within this system. Finally, the supply chain management process has to be central to the entire system.
There was a time when customer service departments were responsible for following up on orders, but this trend has changed, and it is now the supply chain leaders who have taken charge. This is because a streamlined supply chain automatically streamlines the order management process. When all key processes are integrated properly, the end result is a more efficient order-taking and order fulfillment system with fewer chances of error. Orders are fed into the supply chain quickly and accurately and are processed faster, resulting in greater customer satisfaction.

Using a Quick and Easy Order Placement System

Effective order management automation depends on how user-friendly your order placement process is. Keep in mind that customers hate complicated processes. You want to ensure that when your customers decide to purchase products or services from your eCommerce platform, they are able to do so quickly and easily. Customers can become frustrated if the ordering process is complicated or too long. This creates a chance that they might abandon the transaction before completing the checkout process. This can be avoided by making sure the order placement stage is easy to understand and navigate.
It is also important that the online portal provides customers with the necessary information about the product or service. If customers cannot find answers to their questions, they may choose another merchant. So, when you're running an eCommerce business, you should understand your customers' needs and provide them with the information they require to make informed purchases.

Using an eCommerce Order Management Software

The best way to automate an order management system is by using an eCommerce order management software such as Magento's. Magento Order Management will enable you to implement an automated order system that is flexible, convenient, and cost-efficient. It will also help enhance your customers' shopping experience and will enable you to fulfill orders accurately and efficiently. Moreover, this system will allow you to cater to customers around the globe without any problems or errors.
By implementing Magento Order Management, you can ensure:

Seamless order management from start to finish

Better order fulfillment

Better management of global inventory and sourcing

Centralized customer service

An advanced order management system such as that provided by Magento can provide greater visibility of your customer data as well the status of your inventory. This can help you manage the order fulfillment process better. For example, if you know that a certain product is selling very well, and you become aware that your inventory for that product is running low, you can immediately restock the product so that there is no backlog in order-fulfillment.
With Magento Order Management, you will be able to create a centralized inventory that provides you with the information you need quickly and easily. You will also receive orders automatically, and you can get an idea about your fulfillment capability by simply checking the data within the system. In case there is a delay, you can inform the customer immediately.
Order-processing automation through an eCommerce application tool like Magento's can also help minimize order-entry errors, a common problem with manual systems. By using automation to record and extract order data, eCommerce platforms can prevent order-entry errors. Some online businesses fail due to slow product delivery, delivery of incorrect products, or missed deliveries. When customers receive their goods on time and exactly as ordered, their faith in the organization increases. This results in repeat orders, increased customer loyalty, and an increase in revenues.

The Takeaway

Automating the account and order management process is critical for ensuring maximum customer satisfaction and customer retention. If you are skilled at order fulfillment and order management can earn you positive reviews. Positive customer reviews can, in turn, help build your credibility and reputation. Satisfied customers are more likely to give you positive reviews and help you through referrals and word-of-mouth marketing.
The primary purpose of an eCommerce platform is to enable customers to order products and services online. By automating account and order management, you can ensure that your customers receive the goods that they have ordered without any delays or errors.